1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to painting accessories and more particularly to accessories for paint cans.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The design of conventional paint cans has long been a nuisance to the painter. Paint cans for paint commercially sold are normally filled to the brim; stirring or dipping a brush therein usually causes the overflow of paint into the rim channel and often down the sides of the can, sometimes onto the supporting surface. When paint flows into the rim channel, it may dry and prevent effective resealing of the can by the cover. An inadequate seal allows paint in the can to dry out during storge or may result in spillage if the can is upset. Sometimes wet paint flows into the rim channel and the can is resealed before the paint has an opportunity to dry. The wet paint dries and acts as a cement, making it difficult to remove the lid from the can at a later time. Because the rim channel is so narrow, it is extremely difficult to clean excess paint out of the rim channel.
Furthermore, design of conventional paint cans does not enhance the pouring of paint. The curvilinear boundary of the inside of the can and the rim channel over which paint must flow makes it difficult to control the paintstream and to prevent paint from running down the edges of the can.
Moreover, the curvilinear edge of the inner surface of the paint can does not provide a suitable surface for skimming excess paint from a paintbrush. Scraping the brush against the inside surface of the can does not uniformly remove paint from the brush, which in turn does not enhance uniform application of paint to a surface.
Numerous devices have been designed to solve some of the above-mentioned problems. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,786,614; 2,945,612; 3,326,409 and 3,423,213 disclose various shields which are inserted into paint cans to prevent the spillage of paint into the rim channel. While these devices shield the rim channel from excess paint, they are not completely effective in preventing the flow of paint into the rim channel because they merely shield, and do not seal, the rim channel from excess paint. While a number of devices have been designed to facilitate pouring of paint from a paint can, none of these devices completely insulate the rim channel from excess paint or possess the advantages of the present invention.
Accordingly, a need arises for a practical paint can accessory which can be rigidly mounted on the rim of a paint can to completely cover and seal the rim channel, which provides for controlled pouring as well as a platform to hold a wet paintbrush and a means for easily removing the attachment from the rim.